The Cipher

Lucy has a secret gift. She is able to sense magic. But when she comes across a magical cipher that seems to call to her, it alarmingly affixes to her arm. What seems to be a trap and a cursed cipher results in disastrous consequences for Lucy and those close to her. And the danger increases when a blackmailer tells Lucy that he knows about her horde of ciphers. As events stumble out of control, Lucy must decide who she can trust when she comes across a conspiracy that will endanger the entire kingdom.

This is a dark and intense story of intrigue, danger, betrayal, set in a backdrop of magic and mystical creatures. Francis has done a wonderful job of creating a unique world where many more tales can be told. The main characters of Lucy show more and Marten are believable and fallible. And I found myself pulled more into the story whenever they interacted.

Though The Cipher has a slow beginning, the story soon picks up with plenty of adventure and sometimes-violent action. But past the occasional disturbing imagery, there are some points of humor as well as true friendship and romance. This is dark fantasy at its best. I'm looking forward to the next installments in the Crosspoint series. show less

Lucy Trenton is a customs worker in the town of Crosspointe. Lucy's special gift is the ability to sense magick, a useful trick in a town where enchanted sylveth can surge in with the tides, transforming and destroying every creature it touches. Lucy is a good, law-abiding citizen, with one flaw ... she collects true ciphers, magically cursed objects created centuries ago by a magician named Errol Cipher. Lucy must fight a sylveth tide, fight a cipher which has bonded to her arm, and deal with a blackmailer who knows her secret. And then things start to get really dangerous.

Within the first few pages, you can tell Francis has serious worldbuilding skills. Crosspointe is a well-realized port city, full of the rich detail that most show more fantasies gloss over. And Lucy is a fun, stubbornly determined hero. It took a chapter or two to really draw me in, but then I was hooked.

Full review at http://jimhines.livejournal.com/335213.html show less

First book of a strange world. I like the idea of this magic coming from the land and it's strange creatures. I loved the world, the way it's build and made. It's different and confusing at first but grows on you. A must read for a different kind of book and fantasy.

In Diana Pharaoh Francis' The Cipher, we meet Lucy Trenton, a member of the royal Rampling family who works as a customs official at a shipping port in Crosspointe. In her capacity as a supervisor, she has free range to the warehouses. On one of her rounds, she senses majick coming from some of the cargo. And in her carelessness, she finds herself attached to a dangerous cipher--a cursed object created by an ancient mage with a twisted sense of humor. But before she can even think about removing the cipher (which as far as she knows, is only possible if she's dead), a friend introduces her to Marten Thorpe--a ship captain, persistent suitor, and compulsive gambler. Although she wants nothing to do with Thorpe, it is his initial shifty show more motives that embroil her in deadly political waters--both figuratively and literally. (more) show less

One of the best parts about cipher is that he magic is a little bit different then in other fantasy novels, which adds an interesting element for people who read a lot of fantasy. The characters are all flawed, but doing their best so that you really start to invest in the story. I eagerly await the next book in the series.

Couldn't get into this complex fantasy, didn't get it. Skimmed and let it go.

Fantasy,non-traditional female occupation